Posts Tagged ‘Jesus Christ’
Discipleship 3.1 – The Method
January 23, 2011 | 
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Whenever we encounter elemental, or core theological principles, we often feel as though a tsunami-like wave has crashed over us – because we just want to know:
1. What do we do?
2. (and maybe more forefront in our minds) How do we do it?
Now, there is a danger crouching behind these questions, but I will deal with that in 3.2.
So far we have seen that we have been given a Mission and such an imperative has the implied call to obey it. I suppose it isn’t too cliche to say that God doesn’t make suggestions. This should be delightfully obeyed, because it should find an immediate harmonious connection within our own desires, thus given us a very organic internal Motivation – namely, that we are Christians who love Jesus and we want others to love Him too. If you have trouble agreeing with the first two points in this paragraph and series, then you may not know Him, even likely so. If that is the case, go here.
So, to answer the first question, we are to make disciples of Jesus Christ. This must never be eclipsed by men, fellowships, denominations, traditions nor religion.
We DO NOT make disciples of ourselves.
We DO NOT make disciples of (human) leaders.
We DO NOT make disciples of our local fellowships (churches).
We DO NOT make disciples of a denomination.
We DO NOT make disciples of a particular school of thought.
We DO NOT make disciples of Christianity.
The Gospel
Christianity is not one of many world religions – it’s reality . . . only because Jesus/God is reality. That is where it must always begin.
God really Is. (Genesis 1:1; Exodus 3:14; Daniel 4:34)
The Godhead is made of of Three Persons, yet Triune as God (Deut. 6:4; Isaiah 45:5; 1 Cor.8:4; Matt. 3:16-17, 28:19; John 1:18, 10:30, 14:9; Col. 1:15-20) unique in Roles and Personhood, but not essence nor being.
This means the Father is God (John 6:27)
Jesus is God (John 20:28-29)
The Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4) {At this point let me mention the obvious that these are but granular sample-texts within a Sahara of truth the Scriptures teach on the subject}
So, there is God and He is before all things, made all things, holds all things together and will bring to account all things – AND He made it all for Himself. (Romans 11:33-36)
That is what is really going on. That is where it must always begin.
Posted in "Ruminations", DailyTheocentrisms | 
Tags: Gospel, Jesus Christ, salvation, Sin, The Gospel | 
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An analogy of sin and Christ
When I was a boy, we lived in a rural part of Alabama. We had a creek behind our home and it had countless joys for young boys in it: crawdads (crawfish), cool rocks, snakes, water and mud – lot’s of mud. We spent a many a summer day in that creek and in the evening, as we were being called in for dinner a common scene took place:
Rob approaches the sliding-glass door at the rear of the house bearing the filthy joy of creek-playing hedonism
Dad: “Stop right there! You are not setting foot in this house until you clean up.”
Rob starts to attempt wiping off the mud – only there is mud on his hands and on every part of his body. Only smearing and deeper staining is occurring.
Dad: furrowed-brow looks
Rob: “This isn’t working.”
What Rob needs is an outside source – something clean that can take the filth from him. Rob needs a clean towel and his brother to spray him with a water hose. Without a clean source to take the stains away, there is no hope.
Truly on this side of the analogy AND the sliding glass doors, the fried chicken has never tasted so good.
Thank you, Jesus.
Posted in "Ruminations", One as Another | Tags: analogy, Atonement, Jesus Christ, salvation, The Gospel | No Comments »
It has officially begun . . .
The Church plant that is to take place this year, Lord willing, on the East side of Raleigh (likely the Knightdale area) has officially begun. Well, it had officially begun along time ago, but now we have filed. The name that is registered with the NC Secretary of State for the church plant is Sovereign Christ Church.
We pray that even the name begins to communicate what we are about. We are called to make disciples of Jesus, our Sovereign Lord. He is the Head of the Church – no man. There is no pyramid-like hierarchy where one man presides over another. Rather, whereas some are further down the road of maturity, all are on the same path; all men and women in the fold of Christ are sheep – there is no division of class between leaders and laymen, no more than there is a division of class within the Trinity, since the images of roles, yet equality of the Triune Godhead are imprinted on the Church, as in the family; there is only One Good Shepherd, the rest are hirelings, who themselves depend on the Good Shepherd and will give account to.
We are Christ’s, not our own. We are dependent on grace. We are unworthy, but chosen. We are seeking satisfaction in Christ, in God – not in ourselves.
We are broken that this has begun. Might He be pleased in all we do, for it is unto Him that it is all done.
Pray for us, pray with us and celebrate the sovereign majesty of our Lord – may He come soon.
More to come . . .
Posted in One as Another, Paradigm Shift, Sovereign Christ Church | Tags: Church, Ecclesiology, Jesus Christ, Paradigm Shift, Sovereign Christ Church | 7 Comments »
A Little Help with some lyrics . . .
I have already posted this, but here are the lyrics for those (like me) who couldn’t quite keep up.
Don’t Waste Your Life
Posted in Lyrical Theology | Tags: Accountability, Chief End, Jesus Christ, Religious Affections, Worship | No Comments »